Kumar Gunaratnam and Dimuthu Attigala leaders of the Frontline Socialist Party (FSP)have been freed by their captors. The Police said that Gunaratnam who is an Australian citizen has been deported as he has overstayed visa. Dimuthu Attigala addressing a press conference in Colombo said that she sensed that she was abducted by officers from both Police and security forces.
“I was blindfolded and moved from place to place and questioned in length. Their main intention was to find out if we had any links with the Tamil tigers or we were funded by the Tamil Diaspora” said Dimuthu Attigala.
She said that the captors who questioned her said that they were releasing her as they were convinced that the SFP was not in to an armed struggle.
The Abductors dropped her close to the party office and gave her money to take a three wheeler warning not to attempt to identify them.
Ms Attigala said that the captors in many occasions during the questioning told her that she might later implicate Defence Secretary Gotabya Rajapaksha is behind the abduction but he was not involved.
“I asked them how they could carry T 56 weapons without state patronage. They did not reply,”said Dimuthu Attigala.
Meanwhile the ministry of external affairs said in a press release that Mr Gunaratnam and Ms Attigalle reappeared on their own. It further points out that there are many features relating to the ‘alleged abduction’ which are doubtful and it is grossly unfair to conclude that there has been an abduction and point the finger at the government.
The Asian Human Rights Commission states that this episode clearly exposes the government involvement and as long as Gotabaya Rajapakse remains Defence Secretary there is no likelihood of any credible inquiry.
BBC Sinhala
“I was blindfolded and moved from place to place and questioned in length. Their main intention was to find out if we had any links with the Tamil tigers or we were funded by the Tamil Diaspora” said Dimuthu Attigala.
She said that the captors who questioned her said that they were releasing her as they were convinced that the SFP was not in to an armed struggle.
The Abductors dropped her close to the party office and gave her money to take a three wheeler warning not to attempt to identify them.
Ms Attigala said that the captors in many occasions during the questioning told her that she might later implicate Defence Secretary Gotabya Rajapaksha is behind the abduction but he was not involved.
“I asked them how they could carry T 56 weapons without state patronage. They did not reply,”said Dimuthu Attigala.
Meanwhile the ministry of external affairs said in a press release that Mr Gunaratnam and Ms Attigalle reappeared on their own. It further points out that there are many features relating to the ‘alleged abduction’ which are doubtful and it is grossly unfair to conclude that there has been an abduction and point the finger at the government.
The Asian Human Rights Commission states that this episode clearly exposes the government involvement and as long as Gotabaya Rajapakse remains Defence Secretary there is no likelihood of any credible inquiry.
BBC Sinhala
